Doom and Gloom
by kate657
Summary: A shooting brought them together. A murder tore them apart. Could a desparate cry for help reunite Nathan and Haley? Sequel to Sight Unseen.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hi, guys. I know I said I'd be back with an in depth summary but I'm back with the first chapter instead. I'm not going to give more of a summary because I want to keep the mystery of the story._**

**_I've changed the title of the story from "In Plain View" to "Doom & Gloom". I wasn't feeling the original one and since I've had a change of heart about how this story is going to go, it didn't really fit either._**

_**Yes, it is still the sequel to "Sight Unseen" but I have reworked my original thoughts and I think you're going to really like the change. Let me know what you think. Leave some words and enjoy.** :D Katy_

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**Chapter One**

He walked into the school after winter break and looked around. There was a chill in the air and it wasn't because of the cold weather. It was more foreboding than cold.

Nathan turned his head and noticed that people were staring at him and whispering. Usually this wouldn't bother him because it was hardly out of the ordinary for people to be gossiping about him or point at him and whisper things to their friends.

It was the way they were looking at him that unnerved him. He noticed a freshman look at him and then whisper something to her friend. He was about to smile at her when he saw the thing in her eyes that was different. There was an emotion in her green eyes that had not been there before. What was it? Pity. Ah, yes, that's what it was. Wait… pity?

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded of his brother and their mutual friend, Jake Jagielski as he came to his locker. Lucas and Jake turned to look at him. He looked into both of their eyes. It was in them too!

"Well, hello, Nathan and how are you today? We're doing fine, by the way," Jake joked. Nathan rolled his eyes and then turned to his brother.

"Tell me what's up," he said. Lucas sighed.

"You don't know?" his brother asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Know _what_?" Nathan asked.

"There's a scandal among us," Brooke replied as she and Peyton joined the group.

"What?" Nathan asked. A scandal at school would explain the whispering. But what did that have to do with him?

"I have no idea which is very upsetting," Brooke replied.

"Yeah, you wanted to know first so you could be the one to spread all the rumours about the poor soul everyone's talking about," Peyton teased.

"Do either of you know?" she asked Jake and Lucas. They both nodded.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense!" Brooke exclaimed in excitement.

"It's not a scandal. It's a tragedy," Jake said. Nathan knew it was his way of scolding Brooke for taking joy in another person's misery.

"You say potato, I say pototo," Brooke remarked.

"What happened and why is everyone looking at me?" Nathan asked.

"Because you're the most eligible bachelor at this school. Duh," Brooke replied. He glared at her and she smiled.

"They're not admiring me. They're pitying me. As are these two and I want to know why," Nathan said.

"Fine. We'll tell you why, Nathan, but don't say we didn't warn you," Jake said. Nathan responded with a glare.

"Haley tried to commit suicide over the weekend," Lucas said.

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_**I know, I know. You're confused as hell. Allow me to clear up a few small things as far as the couples go. Yes, Peyton and Jake are still married. Yes, Lucas and Brooke are still together. No, Haley and Nathan are not together. Why? Well, that will be revealed sooner or later.**_

_Also**: Check out my first Leyton fic, "Hollow".**_


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter Two**

"Haley James?" Peyton demanded in disbelief. Jake looked at him sadly.

"It's true. My mom was one of the nurses that worked on her," he said. Jake's mom was a nurse in the emergency room at the closest hospital.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Peyton asked her husband.

"My mom told me not to tell anyone. She only told me because she knew you and Haley used to be friends," Jake replied.

"Good job," Brooke criticized.

"I didn't tell everyone. One of the cops that responded to the call was Clay Belmont's dad. He told Clay and Clay told everyone else," Jake said defensively.

"Who called 911?" Peyton asked.

"It was her social worker," he replied. At Brooke's questioning gaze, he continued, "Apparently, she was doing her monthly check-up. You know, making sure that Haley was okay and healthy. All that. She walked in, saw a hand creeping out from around the corner and found Haley sprawled on the floor of a hallway in the middle of her bedroom and bathroom doors."

"H-how…?" Nathan asked, speaking for the first time. He was trying to ask something but having difficulty phrasing the question. Jake seemed to understand what Nathan wanted to know.

"She slit her wrists vertically. My mom said she ruptured an artery and a vein," Jake replied slowly.

"Will she make it?" he asked, choking on the words. He looked at Jake and pleaded for him to give him a straight answer.

"I really don't know, Nate. My mom said her condition was tenuous at best." he replied. Peyton looked beyond rattled.

"You're saying she could die?" she panicked. Jake nodded.

"It's a possibility," he replied. Nathan felt his world coming down around him and everything became surreal.

This morning, he was mildly content with the way things were going and five minutes after he arrived at school, he learned that his ex-girlfriend tried to kill her life and there was a very real possibility that she was dying. "I don't understand how this could be happening," he admitted to no one in particular.

His brother put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it sympathetically or reassuringly. Which, Nathan couldn't tell and he didn't really care either. Peyton nodded in agreement. "I know Haley was going through a difficult time a while back but I had no idea she was so troubled," she said.

"You couldn't have thought she was getting better," Brooke said.

"I didn't. I just thought she was getting help when she took a leave of absence," Peyton said.

"She was getting worse," Nathan realized regretfully. His parents had obviously known that since they demanded that he break up with her.

"That's pretty obvious now," Brooke said. Her voice was not sarcastic or sympathetic. It was frank.

"She was never the same after," Peyton said but couldn't bring herself to finish her thought. Nathan swallowed hard and nodded.

"After Doug," he concluded miserably.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Hey guys! I know you've been dying to know more and I apologize for leaving you hanging. This chapter is actually a flashback. It's not in italics because it's the only event in the chapter and it's telling you what Doug has to do with the story. If you remember, Doug was mentioned briefly in Chapter 11 of _Sight Unseen_. strongly suggest that you read it so that you remember who Doug is. So here's number three for you. Leave some words and enjoy. _**

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Chapter Three**

"You sent me to jail based on _lies_!" Doug Morris exclaimed after he had pulled Haley James into some seedy motel room that he had acquired the day before. He shoved her onto the bed and dragged a chair from the desk in the room and placed it a few feet away.

He sat down and pulled out the gun he had purchased for protection before being sent to prison. Doug had practiced at a firing range so that if there were ever an intruder in his home, he would be able to shoot them and not miss before they were able to harm his daughter or Haley. He had terrific aim and Haley knew this, which was why she looked at him in terror as he aimed it at her.

"I didn't know that Helene was lying until after the trial," Haley said. Doug glared at her.

"And what? After learning the truth, you just decided to sit on it?" he exclaimed, cocking back the safety.

"Of course not!" Haley exclaimed. She looked at him, hoping he could see that she was telling the truth. "As soon as I found out, I went directly to the DA but he didn't want to tarnish his record. He claimed that the evidence wasn't conclusive and so there was no reason to get the conviction overturned."

"A likely story," Doug spat skeptically.

"It's the _truth_," Haley insisted.

"I can't believe you bought her lies! You lived with me for a while, Haley. You had to know that I would never hurt my daughter!" Doug exploded.

"I lived with you for a short time and what I _knew_ was that you had a big temper. I didn't testify as a favour to Helene and Steve; it was all about Emily. Because even if I didn't think you were capable of hurting her, I could never be positive so I did what I thought was right. For _her_," Haley burst out.

"And now she is living with strangers and wants nothing to do with me," Doug said. Haley paled.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"She is convinced that neither of us loved her; she said that I wanted custody to get back at her mother for having an affair and the only reason Helene wants her is so that Steve can stick it to me," Doug said, standing up and walking over to Haley. He was at the edge of the bed and he had the gun lowered but still in a threatening position.

"Maybe it's for the best," Haley said cautiously.

"Excuse me?" Doug demanded angrily.

"I'm assuming that the people she's living with adopted her," Haley said. Doug gave a light nod at her statement. "So she'll finally have a chance to grow up with two parents that love her."

"I love her," Doug said.

"I'm not saying that you don't because I know that you do. I'm just trying to offer you some perspective as someone who grew up without any parents and is very troubled because of it," Haley said.

"Don't try and make me feel sorry for you, Haley. Emily had parents that were both alive and who both loved her despite what you or anyone else thinks. She belongs with me," Doug said.

"Or maybe you just want her to," Haley suggested. He clenched his jaw. "Clinging to the past is easier than moving on. Believe me, I know, but it's not going to change anything."

"You're right," he agreed, gripping the gun as he stared down at it undecidedly. Haley sighed with relief until he raised the gun and aimed it at her once again. "I'll still have lost my daughter forever because of _you_." Haley trembled.

"And you think killing me will bring her back?" she asked as her voice quivered with fear. He narrowed his gaze. "Don't be stupid. No one wants to be the daughter of a murderer. It'll drive her further away and ruin the rest of your life in the process."

"You're probably right. You always were smart but there's one thing that you're forgetting," he said. Haley looked at him expectantly. "I've already lost everything that matters to me so it won't make much of a difference to me where I spend the rest of my life as long as I get rid of you. Once and for all." He took a deep breath and raised the gun so that it was aimed right between her eyes.

"You might kill me but don't think that I'm going down without a fight," she hissed. Haley launched herself forward and tackled him to the ground. He dropped the gun. She grabbed it and stood up, dodging his reach for her legs. She aimed the gun at him. "Get up." He stood up and began inching towards her.

"Stay right where you are," she ordered. He didn't. "I'm warning you, Doug. Stay where you are." He advanced on her again and tried to grab the gun away from her. He pulled her arm and held it near his stomach. Haley instinctively tightened her grip on the gun and that's when it happened.

A loud pop pierced the quiet air and Doug's grip on her loosened. His eyes widened in disbelief as he moved his hands to his chest and when he pulled them away again, Haley's gaze rested on the smear of blood on his right hand. Her own eyes filled with tears and she looked at his eyes that were draining of life.

Forty-five minutes later, Haley was sitting at a detective's desk in Tree Hill's local precinct. She had one of the officer's jackets over her shoulders as she listened to his soothing words. She couldn't really make them out but she thought he was telling her that she wasn't going to be arrested. She did what she had to do to survive. The killing of Doug Morris was self-defence but it didn't stop Haley from realizing the unbearable truth. She had just killed a man and nothing would ever be the same again.


	4. Chapter 4

**_This take place where the second chapter left off. One flash back in italics. Leave some words and enjoy._**

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Chapter Four**

Nathan walked into his house after school feeling even more miserable than he had when he had found out about hospital. He was sick with worry. He wanted to go see her but his parents wanted him to stay away from her.

After Haley had killed Doug, she had been a wreck; wracked with guilt over what she had done. Not just killing him, but what her testimony had done to his life before. Nathan had been there for her at first. He stayed at her apartment with her every weekend for three months. He held her when she cried at night, he even managed to take her to a movie once to try and get her out in the world but she had been so withdrawn.

His parents had noticed that she was troubled and when Nathan missed a few classes and practices because he was at Haley's apartment comforting her, they demanded that he stay away from her. Breaking up with her was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.

--

"_You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" she asked. A tear rolled down his face and he nodded. "Why?"_

"_You need help," he said softly. She shot him a wounded look. "And until you get it, my parents don't want me to be around you."_

"_They think I'm going to hurt you, don't they?" she asked. He shook his head._

"_Of course not!" he exclaimed. Haley looked at him doubtfully. "They think that helping you through this is taking too much out of me. My mom said that I can't split my focus away from school." Haley nodded. "I'm so sorry. I don't want to hurt you, Hales. I love you but I can't help you if you can't help yourself." _

"_What am I supposed to do, check myself into a psych ward? I'm not delusional or paranoid. I killed a man. You can't take a pill and make it go away!" she exploded furiously and then burst into tears. He hugged her to him as she cried against him. _

"_You could go to counselling," he said. She looked up at him through her tears. "Talking to someone might help. It won't make it go away but a psychiatrist could help you to finally forgive yourself." He kissed her hair and hugged her tightly. He got up from her bed and looked at her sadly. She swallowed her tears and smiled at him. He nodded. She was letting him know that she wasn't angry at him. He started to leave when he heard her speak._

"_I love you too," she said._

--

"Nathan, you're finally home," his mom said cheerfully. Nathan looked at her and her smile disappeared as she saw the pain etched all over his face.

"What's wrong?" His father asked.

"Do you remember Haley?" he asked. Their faces grew tense as they nodded.

"How is she doing?" Karen asked gently.

"Did she get help?" Keith asked. Nathan shook his head.

"She tried to kill herself over the weekend. Now she's in the hospital," Nathan said.

"No!" Karen exclaimed in disbelief.

"And they're not sure if she's going to live," Nathan replied. His parents looked at him sadly. His mom seemed to be guilty for some reason. His father was just stunned. "How was your day?"

--

Karen Scott walked into her younger son's bedroom. Nathan was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He looked calm but she could sense how miserable he was. She walked further into the room and waited for him to acknowledge her presence. When he didn't, she came in and sat down on his bed. He glanced at her but then returned his attention to the ceiling.

"Nathan," Karen began.

"I thought she was making progress," he said. Karen looked at him. "When she took a leave of absence, she was going into therapy."

"Therapy takes time," Karen reminded him.

"I should have stayed with her," he said.

"And done what, Nathan? You didn't break up with her because you didn't want to help her. You broke up with her so she could get professional help," she asked.

"Be there for her. Anything. She needed me and I bailed on her," Nathan said. Karen tried to tell him that Haley needed to help herself but he shot her a warning look and she closed her eyes. "And now she's dying."

"So be there for her now," his mom said. He looked at her in disbelief.

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from her," he said.

"I did," Karen said.

"And now?" Nathan asked.

"Now I'm going to let you make your own decisions," she said. Nathan got up from the bed, grabbed his jacket, kissed her on her cheek and left the room. A few seconds later, she heard an engine start and smiled.

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	5. Chapter 5

**_Leave some words and enjoy_ :**_D Katy_**

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**Chapter Five**

"Are you a family member?" A nurse at the hospital asked Nathan when he asked what room Haley was in. He was about to open his mouth and say that he was her brother but realized from the way she was looking at him that she knew that he wasn't.

"No," he admitted. The nurse smiled. "I'm her boyfriend." A lie, yes, but he was her boyfriend at one point and despite all the time that had passed, Nathan had never stopped loving Haley.

"Room 74; it's the third last door on your left if you go down that hall," she replied, pointing to the hall to her left.

"Thank you," he muttered quickly and walked down the hallway. He stopped at the door with the huge black 74 on a piece of metal nailed to the door. There were numerous file folders in the contraption. Nathan couldn't remember what they were called but it resembled a mail slot in a way. "Confidential" was written in big red capital letters across the front of the folder that was last put in the slot.

Nathan put the curiosity out of his mind and lifted his hand to the doorknob and began to push the door all the way open. He heard hushed whispering in the room as he crossed the threshold. He stopped at the corner as to not interrupt whoever was visiting.

Peyton was sitting in a chair next to Haley's bed with her and Jake's youngest daughter, Hannah in her arms. She set the baby down on Haley's still form in the bed. With one arm firmly holding her daughter protectively in place, Peyton used her other hand to fit Haley's still hands to the small infant so she was holding her.

"This is the newest member of the ever-growing Jagielski clan," Peyton announced proudly to Haley. There was no reaction from Haley or the numerous machines that she was hooked up to.

"We named her Hannah after Jake's mother. She'll be nine months old in about a week and a half. She was born early in April. Two months early. She had to spend a few weeks in an incubator because she was premature. Jake and I were terrified that she might not make it but miraculously, she pulled through," Peyton explained with a bright smile on her face. She searched Haley's face and sighed in defeat when the same blank expression remained on her friend's face.

"I miss you, Haley," Peyton confessed as tears spilled out of her eyes. "I know I wasn't around to help you and I'm sorry for that but it didn't mean that I didn't care because I do. You are a great friend and an amazing person. You're needed here so you need to wake up."

"You were always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. You gave without expecting anything in return," Nathan added, announcing his presence in the room. Peyton's eyes widened in disbelief at him as he came over and sat down in a chair on the other side of the bed. "You saved me from hatred over what Brooke and Luke did to me; you forced me to realize that everything happens for a reason, even terrible things."

"You have an amazing spirit," he said. Peyton smiled at him. "You managed to keep a positive outlook all the time and that always amazed me considering that you had more than your fair share of bad times. But you never let anyone see it and it's that strength along with your never-ending faith that I fell in love with."

"So now it's our turn to help you realize that you belong here," Peyton said. When nothing happened, her eyes began to water again and she looked at Nathan in misery. Nathan took a hold of one of Haley's hands that was around Hannah. He gave it a tight squeeze and returned his gaze to Peyton.

"Now that she knows we're here and we're not giving up on her, it'll only be a matter of time before she wakes up," he said encouragingly.

Skepticism immediately crawled onto Peyton's features and she cast a pointed look at Haley's still form. Nathan simply nodded again. Their gazes locked and Peyton smiled. "Take your time, Hales," she said to her friend. "I'll eventually break that incredible stubbornness of yours." Nathan smiled in amusement as Peyton scooped up her daughter, muttered a small goodbye and left to give him some privacy.

Once he heard the door click, Nathan got up from the chair and sat down on the bed so he could feel the warmth radiating from her body. He put his hand on her cheek and gently stroked her face. He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. "I know you want to hear me apologize for not being standing up to my parents and being the most selfish jerk in history," he said. He bent down and hugged her gently, burying his head in her neck.

"You can take your time as long as you come back to me," he whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks to** iftheyonlyknewthetruth**, **HaleyJamesScott2323**, **clois4life**, **CCScott23**, **Nathanlvr**, **JeniRose**, **scott23naley**, **Chris-Crips**, **NaLeYBaBiixo**, **23sUrBOYtoy**, **suki1916**, **H. James-Scott** for replying. Leave some words and enjoy._**

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Chapter Six**

Haley opened her eyes very quickly and had to blink a few times as they adjusted to the light. She looked around and noticed she was in a hospital bed. It was unmistakable.

_Damn_, she thought to herself. _I really am a failure if I can't even kill myself right._

_Unless you screwed up on purpose_, someone told her.

Why would she intentionally screw up? She wondered. She had taken the blade in her hands, sliced vertically instead of horizontally and made sure it was deep enough so she would actually hit the veins in her wrists. Intentionally screwing up didn't make any sense to her.

_Maybe you didn't really want to die_, the same voice told her. That made even less sense. She had no friends, no family and on top of that, she was a murderer. What kind of lunatic would want to live her life?

_You, apparently_, the voice replied. Before she could think about it, the door to her room burst open and Lucas Scott walked in.

--

Lucas walked down to room 74, ignoring the protests of the woman behind the desk. He was on a mission to find his brother and when he opened the door to Haley James' hospital room; he was not surprised to find his brother, leaning back in a chair beside her bed with his arms folded across his chest as he slept.

"What are you doing here?" A raspy voice asked, causing Lucas to jump about three feet in the air. He looked around and couldn't find the source of the voice. Was he going crazy? "In the bed." He looked over to the bed and his eyes nearly jumped out of his sockets at the sight.

Her hair looked oily and ratty from not being washed in a while, her skin was whiter than the ceiling, her lips were chafe, and her voice was dry but her eyes open. There was more going on in those brown orbs of her that Lucas was almost positive that the other things were irrelevant and he would have smiled at her if she hadn't opened her mouth.

"What, are you hard of hearing? I asked you what you were doing here," she demanded. Her voice was full of annoyance. Lucas was about to answer but he realized she was no longer paying attention to him.

Her eyes travelled around the room and then they went wide and her skin became paler all of a sudden. Lucas followed her gaze and nodded to himself. Haley had discovered that Nathan was in the room as well. She showed some understanding beneath the disbelief that was taking over her previously angry expression.

"I'm here looking for him," Lucas replied. Haley didn't answer at first. She turned and looked at him. She looked so vulnerable that Lucas fought the urge to wake Nathan up.

"What's he doing here?" she squeaked.

"He's been coming here for the past few weeks. If he's not at practice or at school, this is where we usually find him," Lucas explained.

"That doesn't explain why he's here," she replied.

"Isn't it obvious?" Lucas asked her with a slight smirk on his face. She shook her head as her eyes began to narrow at his sarcasm. "You're in the hospital and Nathan wants to be here for you."

"Why?" Haley asked again.

"Because he loves you," Lucas replied as he walked over to his brother. He gently nudged Nathan who didn't even flinch. Lucas rolled his eyes. He pushed him harder and still nothing.

"Hit him on the shoulder," Haley suggested, remembering the way she used to wake him up not too long ago. Only two things had ever worked- kissing him or hitting him on the shoulder and she seriously doubted Lucas was willing to give the first one a try.

Lucas smiled as he said, "Gladly." He pulled back his right arm, clenched his hand into a fist and punched his brother on the shoulder. Nathan was awake in seconds, muttering almost every curse word in English. He glared at his brother.

"I'm about to kick your ass," he warned. Lucas laughed.

"Don't get mad at me. It's her fault," Lucas said, pointing over to Haley. Nathan's eyes widened slightly as he turned his head and saw that Haley was awake. Joy came onto his face and he smiled. "She suggested it."


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks to **JeniRose**, **xSmile**, **iftheyonlyknewthetruth**,** mary-023**, **OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**, **Nathanlvr **and **CCScott23** for replying. Leave some words and enjoy. _

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**Chapter Seven**

"Haley, you're awake," Nathan said, his voice filled with relieved joy. Haley finally met his gaze. Her expression was hard to read and this made him nervous.

"Nothing gets by you," she remarked. Nathan ignored her angry tone and grabbed one of her hands and he held with it between his own.

"I knew you would wake up. The doctors said that the longer you stayed unconscious, the less likely it would be that you would ever wake up but I didn't believe them," he told her as he brought her hand up and kissed each individual finger. He then looked up with her and grinned. Her face hardened as she pulled her hand away from him.

"Good for you," she mocked. He looked at her in disbelief. "But did you ever think that I might not have _wanted_ to wake up?"

"I don't believe that," he said.

She scoffed. "Well, believe it."

"Haley, I know you've been sad but I know you didn't want to die," he told her.

"If you know me like you think you do, then you know that I don't play games," she said.

"No, you don't," he said.

"And I don't do something unless I want to," she said. He nodded. "Then what makes you think I didn't want to die when I tried to kill myself?"

"Because I think that you want help and you can't get it if you're dead," he said.

"What?" she demanded.

"That's why you did it. It was a cry for help," he said. Haley nodded and then tilted her head at him.

"And I suppose you think that it was your help that I was crying out for?" she asked.

"I don't think it matters. I'm here to help whether you want it or not," he said. She started laughing. "What?"

"This is surreal," she said.

"Huh?" Lucas asked.

"Before no one was willing to help me. Every one I thought that I could count on turned their backs on me and now that I'm recovering from a suicide attempt, everyone's willing to help? Why?"

"Maybe we've finally realized how troubled you are," Nathan said.

"I killed someone, Nathan. I watched Doug die and I wasn't sorry. I was relieved and I know I shouldn't have been. What makes you think you can help me with that?" Haley asked.

"You had no choice but to kill him, Haley. If you hadn't, he would have killed you," he said.

"He should have!" she exclaimed. "Because out of the two of us, he was needed more."

"What?" Nathan asked in bewilderment. Tears spilled out of her eyes as she took a deep breath.

"Doug was Emily's father. She needs him. No one _needs_ me," she explained. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"_I_ need you," he told her as she began to break down. She looked at him through her tears. "Peyton needs you. And Whitey needs you too."

"Whitey?" she repeated.

"He's your foster father," Nathan told her.

"Nathan, I'm not in foster care anymore," she reminded him.

"Uh, actually you are," he replied. Haley looked at him in disbelief. "After you attempt, Children Services decided if you do regain consciousness, you will return to foster care because you're no longer able to take care of yourself."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Are you awake yet?" Brian "Whitey" Durham called to Haley from outside of her bedroom door in his old bungalow.

"No," came the soft reply. The voice did not have the slightest hint of exhaustion in it so Whitey quickly deduced that she was lying.

"How long have you been up?" he asked.

There was a soft chuckle and then she answered. "About two hours."

"It's seven in the morning and you've been up that long?" he asked in disbelief.

"You know I'm an early riser," Haley replied.

"I knew you were when you lived here before but like the changing of seasons so is the behaviour of teenagers," Whitey replied.

"I'm not a teenager," she replied. "I'm a Haley."

"Amusing," Whitey remarked.

"Why are you still out there?" Haley called referring to the fact that he was still on the other side of the closed door.

"I'm giving you space," he replied.

"Why?" Haley asked.

"You've been through a lot and I don't want to seem like I'm prying," he replied. Haley burst out laughing. "What's funny?"

"You don't pry and you need to stop reading those parenting books," Haley said.

He pushed the door opened and walked in her room. She was sitting down on the floor going through a box of books. He folded his arms over his chest and looked at her suspiciously. "How did you know about those?" he asked.

"I couldn't find my books when I wanted to read. They were on the table in the living room yesterday," she replied.

"And what'd you think of them?" he asked.

"They were a good laugh," she replied.

"Huh?" he asked. Haley stopped rummaging through the box and looked at him. Gone was her sparkle and a serious look took hold of her face.

"Those books may work for some people but they won't work in this situation. I'm not a moody kid who is having trouble making friends, Whitey. I'm a 'troubled teen'," she said, using her fingers as quotation marks as she used the term her social worker had used, "that is recovering from a very close brush with death and is being forced back into the system."

"And?" Whitey asked.

"There is no instruction manual that can help you deal with me if that's what you're looking for," she said.

"So how am I supposed to help you through this?" he asked.

"Through what, _life_?" Haley asked.

"You know what I mean, damn it!" he exclaimed in a very frustrated voice. He hated it when she went existential on him. She sounded like a smart-ass and it reminded him of Nathan.

"I don't think you're supposed to even if you could," she said.

"I'm your foster father, Haley. It is my responsibility to take care of you," he said.

"And you are. You're giving me attention, food and money to buy clothes with," Haley replied.

"But what about…?" Whitey asked.

"The other stuff?" Haley finished for him. He nodded. "That's something I need to work through on my own. Nobody can save me. I need to save myself."

"Where is this new attitude coming from?" he asked. She'd been living with him now for about two weeks and at the beginning, she had seemed so withdrawn and now she sounded so grounded like she was before.

"The psychologist they're making me see," Haley replied.

"The one you told you'd rather have your limbs amputated and your head chopped off than having it examined?" he asked.

"I caved when they threatened to put me into home schooling," she replied.

"You're going back to school?" he asked. He assumed she would want to be home schooled and that he would have to force her to go back to school.

"I was home schooled for six months and I ended up slitting my wrists. Somehow I don't think going back to that will do me any good. I need to be around people," she replied.

"And when are you going back?" he asked.

"Next Monday," Haley replied. That was six days away. He nodded.

"And what are you going do today?" he asked.

"Uh, unpack, I guess," she replied, looking at the boxes that lined her wall and had been catching dust for two weeks now.

"Need company?" he asked.

"No," Haley said.

"Well, I'm off," he said.

"Bye," Haley called as he walked down the hallway.

--

"Knock, knock," Peyton said as she came into Haley's bedroom. She looked around the room and was surprised to find it empty. There were books on the floor next to a bookcase and dresser doors opened and the closet door was wide open.

"You know saying the words doesn't count as knocking especially if you say them as you waltz in," Haley said as she came into view from inside the closet. Peyton jumped as Haley's voice had startled her.

"And startling someone is rude too," Peyton argued.

"Not as rude as entering someone's bedroom without permission," Haley retorted.

"If you haven't noticed, I kind of have my hands full," Peyton said, gesturing to a sleeping Hannah in her arms.

"How does that stop you from waiting for me to say that you can come in?" Haley asked.

"I'm tired," Peyton explained. Haley looked at her in confusion. "She kept me up all night and I had to write a paper that was due today."

"You're the one that wanted to be a mother right now," Haley reminded her.

"I didn't plan on being a mother this soon and you know that, Haley, but thank you so much for throwing mine and Jake's mistakes in my face after I came to check on you," Peyton said after putting Hannah down on Haley's bed and putting her hands on her hips in anger.

"Check on me?" Haley repeated, shriveling her nose in disgust at the phrase.

"I came to see how you were," Peyton explained.

"I don't need a babysitter," Haley told her.

"I didn't mean it like that. I was only worried about you," she said. Haley glared at her. "He is too."

"Well, too little, too late," she retorted.

"He loves you, Haley. Why won't you let him help you?" Peyton asked.

"For the same reason I won't let anyone else. I don't need it. I'm helping _myself_," she replied.

"You can't get through this alone," Peyton pointed out.

"I'm not alone," Haley said.

"Haley, we're your friends," Peyton said.

"Correction: you _were_ my friends until you turned your backs on me and cast me aside like last week's garbage," Haley said.

"Everyone needs someone. You may not need me but you're deluding yourself if you think you don't need Nathan," Peyton said.

"I don't," Haley insisted.

"Right," Peyton said skeptically.

"I survived without Nathan for sixteen _years_ before we dated and for six months after he dumped me," Haley said.

"Yes you did," Peyton agreed.

"Exactly," Haley said, nodding her head firmly. She was sure she could save herself without any help from the guy who had turned his back the minute things got a little tough.

"Until you tried to kill yourself," Peyton reminded her.

_**A/N**:_ _Thanks to **xSmile**, **Nathanlvr**, **Chrips-Crips**, **CCScott23**, **TutorGirl17**, **OTH.daddy'sgurl**.**06**, **iftheyonlyknewthetruth**, **naley-obsseshunz-xOx** and **xnaleyluvx** for replying. After a short absence I'm finally back with a new chapter. Leave some words and enjoy. _


	9. Chapter 9

_Thanks to **CCScott23**, **TutorGirl16**, **OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**, **iftheyonlyknewthetruth**, **naley-obsseshunz-xOx**, **xnaleyluvx**, **Nathanlvr**, **NaLeYBaBiixo**, **suki1916**, **Chris-Crips**, **Sabriina** and **xSmile** for replying. Leave some words and enjoy._

**

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**Chapter Nine**

Nathan opened his locker and grabbed his gym bag. He was so glad that it was the end of the day and he could unwind and forget about the possibility that he may have flunked his latest English test that he had taken not two hours before.

He swung it onto his shoulder and put his earphones on. The gymnasium wasn't that far away but the distance was long enough so that listening to music was understandable. He wanted to avoid running into his teachers and anyone else who might want to chat.

He passed his English class and sighed with relief when he noticed the door was closed. Then he crashed into something. Actually, it was _someone_; he realized when he heard them groan after their books fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry," he said as he bent down and started gathering the person's books.

"It's fine," she said.

He got up and passed them to her and then froze at the hands that took them back. "Haley."

"You remember? I'm touched," she drawled.

"I didn't know you were back," he said, ignoring her sarcasm.

"Well, I am," she said and walked around him to get away.

He turned around to watch her leave. "How are you?"

She didn't answer. In fact, she kept on walking as if she hadn't heard him.

--

"Jagielsi is here," Whitey announced as he checked the box next to Jake Jagielski's name on his clipboard that was the attendance while the rest of the players warmed up. "James?"

A few of the players froze at the name.

"Do we have a new player?" Lucas asked.

"I haven't heard anything about it," Nathan replied as he watched Whitey scan the room for the mystery guy.

"Where are you, James?" Whitey bellowed.

"I'm over here," Haley replied, raising her hand from her notebook and waving from the bleachers.

"This is a guy's basketball team," Jake announced. Haley looked at him quizzically. "Unless you're a cheerleader, you shouldn't be here."

Haley chuckled. "Not a chance in hell."

"She has permission," Whitey told Jake.

"What makes her so special?" he asked.

"She's my foster daughter."

"So?"

"You don't get much more special than that," Whitey barked.

"That's so sweet," Haley remarked as she walked across the court and stood beside Whitey.

Whitey started to glare at her but stopped. "Don't get used to it."

"Noted," Haley replied and dropped the sarcasm from her voice as he glared at her.

Whitey walked over to the bench and took a key off the ring. "Here's the spare key to the car."

Haley took it from him and put it on her key chain. "Thanks. I've got to go. My appointment is in ten minutes."

Whitey nodded and she walked back to the bleachers. She put her stuff in her shoulder bag and as she walked towards the doors, they opened and the cheerleaders entered the gym.

One of them bumped into her and she dropped her keys. Peyton grabbed them and handed them back. "Thanks," Haley said gruffly.

"You're welcome," Peyton returned.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" The cheerleader that had bumped into her, asked.

"No, Theresa, I'm fine," Haley replied.

Theresa sighed with relief. "So you won't try to kill yourself?"

The other cheerleaders and some of the basketball players, including Nathan and Lucas stopped what they were doing to watch the scene unfold.

Haley's eyes went wide with disbelief at the comment. "Excuse me?"

"Well, the slightest upset seems to push you over the edge," Theresa replied casually.

Haley's face tightened with anger. "Do you think that's _funny_?"

"A little," Theresa admitted as her mouth curled into a smile.

Haley closed the distance between them and widened her eyes as she said, "I won't hurt myself again."

Theresa nodded and chuckled.

"But I just might hurt _you_," Haley warned.

Theresa cowered and nodded. "Sorry."

"You should be," Haley said as she walked out the door.

"I'm impressed," Brooke commented to her retreating form.

"Say what?" Peyton asked.

"Tutor girl has toughened up," Brooke said.

"And?" Peyton asked, confused.

"It's about time she stood up for herself," Brooke replied.

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	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks to **OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**, **iftheyonlyknewthetruth**, **xSmile**, **naley for life**, **Nathanlvr**,** DayDreamer323**, **mistydm** and **naleysocute** for replying. Leave some words and enjoy. xx**Katy**xx_**

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Chapter Ten

"So, P. Sawyer, do you have any plans for this weekend?" Brooke asked as she came up to the curly blonde's locker.

Peyton busy putting on some lip-gloss but she smiled at Brooke through her locker mirror. When she was done, she put closed up her gloss and looked at the brunette pensively for a few minutes. "Jake and I are taking Jenny and Hannah to their grandparents," she replied.

Brooke's face collapsed. "What about my party?"

"We're going to have to miss this one," Peyton said.

"But it's a must-attend for all the A-list students," Brooke whined.

Peyton grinned. "Aren't they all?"

Brooke frowned. "Well, yes, but this one especially."

"Sorry, but we've cancelled on Jake's parents at least five times. They're going out of town on Monday and they'll be gone until June," Peyton replied.

"Couldn't you just go on Sunday instead of Saturday? That way, Jake's parents will still have seen the rug rats," Brooke asked.

Peyton's eyes narrowed slightly at the word Brooke had used to describe her children. "No can do. Take lots of pictures."

"Why?" Brooke asked.

"Well, when I come back, I'll look at them and it'll be like I was there," Peyton said.

Brooke gave her a wounded look. Then, Haley exited a classroom and Brooke's eyes widened. "Tutor girl!" she called but Haley kept on walking.

"Haley," Peyton called out, her voice loud enough so that it would carry over the racket their fellow students were making.

Haley stopped in her tracks, turned around and scanned the crowd in search of the person who had called to her. She noticed Peyton motioning for someone to come over to her and Brooke and then realized that Peyton was looking at her. She sighed and walked over.

"What?" she asked.

"Brooke wanted to talk to you," Peyton said.

Haley turned to Brooke with an expectant look. "Well?"

Brooke smiled. "Do you have any plans for this weekend?"

Haley thought for a second. "Well, no, not really…. why?"

"I'm throwing a party this Saturday," Brooke replied.

"So?" Haley asked.

Brooke looked so shock that for a minute, Peyton thought she had stopped breathing but then she just cocked her head to the side. "So I was wondering if you were coming," Brooke explained.

Haley chuckled wryly. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's a party thrown by _me_," Brooke replied.

"And you want _me _to come?" Haley asked.

"Yes," Brooke replied.

"Why?" Haley asked.

"Because I'm inviting you to come," Brooke replied.

"I realize that but what I don't understand is why, all of a sudden, you're inviting me now," Haley said.

"It's a party, Haley. The reason to go to one is to party," Peyton replied.

"You've been throwing your infamous parties for almost four years now, Brooke and you've never invited me. I came to a few with Nathan last year but that's it," Haley said.

"Yes, and the reason you didn't come to the others after that was because you weren't in school. This is the first party I've thrown since the break," Brooke replied.

"I'm not part of the A-list," Haley said.

"Yes, you are," Peyton and Brooke said in unison.

"Since when?" Haley asked.

"You became one of us when you started dating Nathan," Brooke said.

"We're not dating anymore," Haley pointed out.

"True, but when you were dating, you were popular by association. Now, you're just popular," Brooke said.

"The reason you never realized it is because you don't take advantage of your popularity," Peyton explained.

"So will you come?" Brooke asked, looking at her hopefully.

"I don't think so," Haley said.

"Why not?" Brooke asked.

"Because I think you're up to something and whatever it is, it can't be good," Haley said.

"I'm not up to anything. I'm just inviting you to a party although now I'm starting to wonder why. You've never been that nice to me," Brooke said.

Haley's eyes narrowed. "I've never done anything to you."

"I saw the way you looked at me after the shooting," Brooke said.

"And how did I look at you?" Haley asked.

"You looked at me like I was the worst person in the world," she said.

Haley started laughing. "You know, you're unbelievable."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the one that cheated on Nathan with his _brother _but I gave you one alleged mean look and _I'm_ a horrible person?" Haley asked incredulously.

"You had no business judging me," Brooke said.

"I wasn't judging you. I didn't pay any attention to you. The only person I cared about was Nathan," Haley said.

"So you didn't even care about how I was feeling?" Brooke asked.

"Why should I have?" Haley asked.

"I don't know. It would have been nice to have been thought of," Brooke said.

"Did you think about me when I was shot?" Haley asked.

"Well, no," Brooke admitted.

"Exactly because we weren't friends. Before the shooting, we had barely spoken," Haley said.

"All right. I'm sorry," Brooke said.

"Good," Haley said.

"Will you come on Saturday?"

Haley sighed. "I'll think about it."

"Good," Brooke said.

Haley walked away.

"God, she is a feisty one, isn't she?" Brooke remarked.

Peyton stared at her.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"What the hell was _that_?" Peyton demanded.

"Oh, I was just testing her," Brooke said.

"Testing her for what?" Peyton asked.

"I wanted to know how much she's changed. That day in the gym when she told of Theresa showed us that she had toughened up. I wanted to see how tough she really is," Brooke said.

"I don't understand," Peyton said.

"Well, I don't want to follow through on my plan if she was still really troubled after that whole mess with that Doug guy and her suicide attempt," Brooke replied.

"Your plan?" Peyton repeated.

"Oops. Probably shouldn't have said that," Brooke muttered to herself.

"Well, too late now. What are you up to now?" Peyton asked.

"Well, Haley's right; there is a reason I'm inviting her to this party," Brooke replied.

"Why?" Peyton asked.

"Well, Nathan will be there. Lucas mentioned how grumpy he's been ever since Haley cut him off after she woke up so I thought I'd invite them to the party and see what happens," Brooke said.

"What makes you think Nathan will show up?" Peyton asked.

"Because he's Nathan Scott. He has to come and once Luke tells him that Haley might be there, he won't be able to resist an opportunity to talk to her," Brooke said.

"I don't know, Brooke. She's gotten very good at ignoring him. Nathan's tried to talk to her a few times at the hospital but she refused to see him. If she sees him in the hallway, she'll turn the other way. One time he actually went up to her locker, she closed the door so fast; she almost took one of his fingers off," Peyton said.

"She'll talk to him because she doesn't know a lot of people there," Brooke said.

Peyton shook her head. "She seems like the kind of person who is comfortable being on her own. She might even start talking to other people to avoid talking to him," she said.

Brooke scowled. "They're going to start talking. I'll lock them in a bedroom if I have to."

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	11. Chapter 11

_Thanks to **Nathanlvr**, **OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**, **JPNeverlosetheButterflies**, **mistydm**, **DayDreamer323**, **naley for life**, **crazy4fiction**, **xSmile** and **charmed36** for replying. Leave some words and enjoy. xxKatyxx_**

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Chapter Eleven

"Nathan, what are you doing?" Lucas asked as he barged into his brother's room on Saturday morning.

He quickly dodged thrown at him and smirked when it landed three feet away from the door. If he hadn't anticipated Nathan's reaction, he would have been clobbered. His brother had good aim.

Nathan sat up in his bed and glared at Lucas through tired eyes. "What does it look like?"

"You're wasting away a perfectly good morning," Lucas replied.

"It's eleven o'clock on a Saturday morning! There's no school so I am sleeping in for once," Nathan grumbled.

"You need to wake up. We can go down to the river court and get in a few games with Skills, Fergie and Junk before the party tonight," Lucas said as he sat down in his brother's desk chair, smirking when he caught sight of the picture of Haley James sticking out of the top drawer.

"What party?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Brooke's party."

"I'm not going to that," he said.

"Why not?" Lucas asked.

"It's the same group of mind-numbing idiots every week and that's a little played out," Nathan replied.

"Those 'mind-numbing idiots' are _our_ friends and you better not be including my girlfriend in that category," Lucas reminded him.

"Your girlfriend is their Queen Bee," Nathan retorted.

"That's real nice," Lucas snapped.

Nathan shrugged. "Whatever."

"Well, the Queen Bee invited to get your ex to the party tonight as a favour to me so maybe you should re-evaluate your opinion of her," Lucas said. He got up and started to leave, slowing his steps, as he got closer to the door.

"Haley's going to be there?" Nathan called after him.

Lucas turned around and leaned against the door. "It took a lot of convincing on Brooke's part but, yes, she is coming," he said.

"Why did you ask Brooke to do that?" Nathan asked.

"For you," Lucas replied.

"Why?" Nathan asked.

"You miss her," Lucas said.

Nathan started to shake his head and Lucas walked over to his desk and pulled the picture out of the drawer and handed it to his brother.

"Then why is this sticking out of your drawer?" he asked.

Nathan was silent.

"Tonight is the perfect opportunity to get her back," Lucas said.

Nathan looked at the picture. He remembered taking it during one of their study sessions at the docks. Haley had been so caught up in her essay that she hadn't noticed the flash of the camera. He had gotten it developed and put in a frame by his computer and she had spied it the next time she had been in his room with him.

"Now get dressed and let's go play some ball before there is no time," Lucas said, taking Nathan out of his thoughts. Lucas turned around and started to leave again.

"Luke?"

Lucas turned around and looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Thanks. I owe you one," he said.

Lucas grinned. "Good to know." Then he left the room.

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	12. Chapter 12

_Thanks **OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**, **mistydm**, **naleyforlife**, **Nathanlvr**, **luvnaley23**, **DayDreamer323** and** xSmile** for replying. This is the final chapter. Leave some words and enjoy. **Katy**_**

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Chapter Twelve**

"Haley, you came!" Brooke Davis exclaimed when she caught sight of the auburn hair that so clearly belonged to Haley James, mostly because it was so plain.

Brooke had noticed that Haley never did anything to her hair except pull it back into some dysfunctional bun. Her makeup was so plain; sometimes Brooke wondered why she bothered with it at all.

Haley turned in the direction of the overly excited voice that sounded so sugary and fake, the person might as well be calling her over for her execution. But she put on a fake smile and said, "I had no choice. Whitey caught wind of the invitation and forbid to let me use the car for the entire week if I didn't show up."

"That, uh, sucks," Brooke commented.

Haley eyed her suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to know the owner of the big mouth that blabbed to him, would you?"

Her cheeks flushed a little but otherwise her reaction didn't give any other signs of guilt away. She pointed to herself. "Are you saying you think I told him?" she asked.

Haley just widened her eyes a little.

Brooke stared at her in disbelief. "Why would I do a desperate thing like that?"

"Because you practically ambushed me at school with the invitation," Haley replied.

Brooke laughed. "Yes, but as you so sweetly pointed out to me, I have been throwing these shindigs for nearly three years before you made a few cameo appearances at maybe four of them. Why would I waste so much of my time trying to get you to a party that would be a blast whether you were here or not because it was thrown by me?"

Haley didn't respond. In fact, she started looking around uncomfortably and Brooke thought she had finally said something that stunned her into silence. For once, tutor girl had nothing to say! And then Nathan came up to them.

"Hey, Brooke," he said and nodded at her. "Thanks for the invite."

"Hey, Cheery," Lucas said as he put his arms around her waist. "The party looks great."

Brooke couldn't resist the Scott charm, especially when it was coming from Lucas. She turned around and awarded him a long, lingering kiss. "Thanks."

"Hey, Haley," Lucas nodded.

Haley came to life at that moment and she nodded at Lucas in recognition. Nathan inched closer but Haley backed away from the three of them and pointed in some random direction. "I'm going to go find, uh," she said as she looked around for a person she knew, "someone." And then she was gone.

"Wow," Brooke remarked. "I've never seen her so flustered."

"I'm trying to decide whether I should be thankful or offended," Nathan said.

"She just got here, Nathan," Brooke said.

"And?" He asked.

"She's probably feeling a little out of place," Lucas added.

"How did you convince her to come? I remember having to promise her the world when she came with me," he said.

A mischievous smile crept onto Brooke's features as she turned to face Lucas. "It seems that _someone_ told Whitey about my invitation," she said.

Nathan stared at Lucas incredulously. "You coerced her into coming by telling her guardian?"

"I didn't coerce anyone. All I did was let Whitey know that his foster daughter was invited to a party thrown by Brooke Davis and that it would be in her best interests to show up to said party," Lucas replied.

"Playing on his concerns about her self esteem," Brooke said.

"Yes, if you must be so technical," Lucas grumbled.

Brooke smiled at him proudly. "Nice move, Luke."

--

"Did you find who you were looking for?" Nathan asked Haley when he finally found her in an upstairs bedroom.

"You know very well I was trying to get away," Haley said.

"From me?" he asked cautiously.

When she realized what he was asking she shook her head at him. "I hate these parties," she admitted.

He looked around the vacant room and smiled. "No kidding."

She cracked a smile. "I don't like Brooke and I'm not wildly fond of your brother either."

This confession was news to him. "Why?"

"They're not the nicest people in the world," she told him.

"They never did anything to you," he pointed out.

"They stepped out on you," she reminded him.

He stared at her. "I've forgiven them."

"And that's supposed to make all the pain you went through because of it go away?" she retorted.

"Of course not but when I look back on that, I think it's one of the best things that happened," he said.

Her eyes widened. "They betrayed you."

"And that was bad but their betrayal brought me to you," he said.

The love in his voice made tears sting her eyes. "I'm not worth that," she said.

He chuckled as he sat down next to her. "You still don't get it, do you?"

"What?" she asked.

"You're worth everything to _me_, Haley James," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I love you," he said.

She nodded. "I love you too."

He smirked. "I know."

Haley's eyes narrowed into slits. "I've been mad at you for months, Scott. We just started talking so now is not the time to get cocky," she warned.

He chuckled. "Yes, but your anger is how I knew you loved me."

"I'm about to be analyzed again," she realized.

"We hurt the ones we love," he said.

"Not very original," she said.

"I never could have made you so angry if you weren't hurt and the only reason you were so hurt is because you love me," he said.

She scoffed. "Give me a break."

"You're the one seeing a psychiatrist and you don't buy into psychobabble?" he asked.

She laughed. "It's court ordered therapy."

--

_**3 months later**_

"Every senior class has its ups and downs. They encounter crises of many natures but this class in particular went through a lot," their principal droned.

"I wish they would just get to the point," Haley James complained impatiently.

"You know how Principal Turner lives for speeches," Nathan reminded her.

"It might be all right if his speeches were actually good but they suck," Peyton Jagielski chimed in.

"Shh!" Brooke exclaimed as she dabbed at her eyes. "He's about to put us out of our misery."

"We'd like to play the revised time capsule for the students so they know that they are not as pathetic as their fellow student painted them to be," he said and before anyone could object, the lights were dimmed and the projector was turned on.

Brooke Davis appeared on the screen looking extremely nervous.

"_Brooke Davis here. Hi, I'm the class president and the head cheerleader. Now you're either repulsed by those two titles or impressed. I've done some things I'm ashamed of. I hurt someone I really cared about because I couldn't admit my true feelings. But I won't apologize for who I am."_

Lucas Scott came onto the screen.

"_I'm Lucas Scott. I love my family. And I love school. I am a high school basketball player and aspiring writer. I'm in love with a wonderful girl named Brooke."_

Then Jake and Peyton appeared on the screen.

"_Hi, I'm Jake Jagielski and this is my wife, Peyton. We have a beautiful daughter named Jenny and my wife is working on our second child as we speak."_

_Peyton leaned against him and smiled. "But the only thing that you really need to know about us is that we love each other."_

A few other senior students appeared on the screen and then finally Haley appeared on the screen.

"_So I'm Haley James. I'm a sophomore at Tree Hill High. I'm a tutor and I'm an orphan. But more importantly, I'm finally happy. And it's because of an amazing guy named Nathan Scott. I can't tell you that our relationship will last forever because I know better than that. I can say that I hope it will but either way, I'll know what it feels like to be truly loved. That's more than some people ever get in their lives." _

Then the camera switched to an image of Nathan kissing Haley. His onscreen self smiled at the camera.

"_I'm Nathan Scott. I'm a basketball player on the senior team. I have no idea where I'm going with my life. I hope to continue to play but if there's anything the past months have taught me, it's that nothing is set in stone." He paused and glanced back at the door._

"_That was my girlfriend. Haley. We got together after the shooting and we've been dating for about five months now. It's funny. Before I met her, I thought I knew what true love was. I was convinced I had it but I was wrong. What Haley and I have is far more than anything I had in mind and here's one thing I know for sure: I'm going to marry that girl one day." _

The audience was in an uproar by the time the capsule had finished playing. Haley turned in her seat and smiled at him.

"You're really arrogant, you know that? Five months into the relationship and you think you're going to marry me," she said.

He shrugged and smiled. "I know what I want."

"Well, there's one thing you failed to consider," Haley said wisely.

"And that is?" he asked skeptically.

She smiled at him cheekily. "What makes you think I'd have you?"

He grinned. "You love me."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do, but that's not enough to get me to marry you."

He leaned forward so that he was kneeling at the back of her chair. "But the fact that I love you too is."

She grinned. "Sold."

He looked at her incredulously. "Are you serious?"

"I love you, Nathan. I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with than you," she said.

"We're engaged," he smiled. He pulled her closer and kissed her.

Brooke whistled from her chair. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

Haley pulled away and glared at the brunette. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Brooke giggled. "I was talking to you, Haley, not about you."

"Oh," Haley said and backed down.

Then Nathan turned towards his friend and said, "Hey!"

"Whatever, Nathan. You're an arrogant ass sometimes and you know it," she said.

"Maybe but that doesn't mean you have to try and scare my fiancée off," he argued.

"I'm not. Haley is probably the only person who could handle you, let alone tolerate you," Brooke pointed out.

Nathan looked at Haley curiously. "Why?"

"I love you," she said.

THE END

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